December 15, 1998

Contact: Lori Suprock 222-1267

PROVIDENCE - Archery deer hunters who had planned to hunt on Prudence or Patience Islands this weekend will not be able to do so. The Department of Environmental Management has announced that the archery deer season on those islands has closed because the deer quota has been reached.

The season had been scheduled to remain open Fridays through Mondays until December 28 or until the 50-deer quota was reached. No additional deer permit will be available for Prudence or Patience Islands this year.

"The regulatory change was necessary this year in response to the reduction in the size of the deer herd," Michael Lapisky, DEM Deputy Chief of Wildlife Resources said. "This year's hunting restrictions were the result of increased poaching in the past, combined with successive high harvests."